How does Forge FC manage to always to stay on top in the CPL?

Forge FC are the undisputed kings of the Canadian Premier League.

Since the launch of the CPL in 2019, the Hamilton-based club has reached the final all five times – winning four league titles and finishing as runners-up – while also making a splash in the Canadian Championship and in Concacaf competitions.

Forge currently sits atop the CPL table and has to be considered a strong bet to repeat as league champions in 2024. The club also made headlines last week when it sold Canadian striker Kwasi Poku to Belgian outfit R.W.D. Molenbeek for a CPL-record transfer fee reported to be worth close to $1 million.

At the heart of Forge FC is Bobby Smyrniotis, the only coach the team has ever known and one of the chief architects of the club's seemingly endless run of success.

In part 1 of this one-on-one interview with TFC Republic, Smyrniotis discusses the strengths of this current Forge side, how the Hamilton-based club has remained so successful over the years, his role in the transformation of Poku into one of the CPL's best prospects, and much more. Look for part 2 of our chat with Smyrniotis to be published next week.

This Q&A has been lightly edited and trimmed for brevity and clarity.